Splitting-ax.



T. R. SANDIDGE, Sn.

SPLITTING AX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1911.

1 ,272,538. Patented July 16, 1918.

INVENTOR ATTO R N EY THOMAS It. SANDIDGE,

$3., OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

SPLITTIN'G-AX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed September 13, 1917. Serial No. 191,224.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS H. SANDIDGE, Sin, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Fort lVorth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Splitting-Axes, of which the following is a specification.

This intention relates to an improved ax and the principal object ofthe invention is to provide an ax so constructed that it may be used for splitting wood and particularly used for splitting rails, the ax being so constructed that a wedge is formed to split the .rails after the cutting edge has entered the rail.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this ax that there will be no danger of the wedge sticking in the slit formed in a rail.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the improved ax in side elevation,

Fig. 2 is a view showing the ax in end elevation,

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation of a modified form of ax from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ax head 10 may be of the single ended type shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or may be of the double ended type as shown in Fig. 3. In the single ended as shown in Fig. 1, the enlarged wedge or splitting element 11 will be provided as shown in these figures and in the form shown in Fig. 3, the double ended ax head will be provided with the wedging element for one end portion but will not be provided with the same at the opposite end portion. Therefore with the form shown in Fig. 3, the ax may be used in the ordinary manner when cutting articles which do not need to be split and can then be turned and used in the manner of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when it is desired to split rails or other articles.

The wedge or splitting element 11 extends upon opposite sides of the ax head and is provided with sloping lower faces 12 and Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the with curved side faces 13 merging into upper faces 14 extending at substantially right angles from the side faces of the ax. Therefore when in use, the ax may be driven into a log or rail to be split and upon entering the log, the wedge will enter the slit formed and will cause the rail or log to be split more readily. There will be no danger of this wedge jamming in the slit formed as the side faces are curved as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and therefore the ax can be easily drawn out.

That is claimed is 1. A splitting ax having a body member and a bit or penetrating member whose side faces are substantially in the same planes as the side faces of said body member, and splitting members integral with said body and penetrating member projecting systematically from the planes of said body and penetrating member and at angles thereto.

2. A splitting ax having a body having a general tapering form and a penetrating member having the same form as said body member and splitting members projecting from the planes of said body and penetrating member at angles thereto and both splitting members oommencing at the same distance from the edge of said penetrating member.

3. A splitting ax comprising a body having a general tapering form and a penetratin g member having a general tapering form with the planes thereof in the planes of said body member and splitting members projecting from the planes of said body and penetrating member and at angles thereto and projecting symmetrically from opposite sides of said body member and penetrating member and forming the connection between said body member and penetrating member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. SANDIDGE, Sn.

Witnesses:

D. A. REAvns, H. L. BONDURANT.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

